On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
warm smell of colitas rising up through the air
up ahead in the distance, i saw a shimmering light
my head grew heavy and my sight grew dim,
i had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway, i heard the mission bell
and i was thinking to myself �this could be heaven or this could be hell�
then she lit up a candle, and she showed me the way
there were voices down the corridor, thought i heard them say�
Welcome to the hotel california
such a lovely place (such a lovely place), such a lovely face
will you a room at the hotel california?
any time of year (any time of year), you can find it here
Her mind is tiffany twisted, she got the mercedes bends
she got a lot of pretty, pretty boys she calls friends
how they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat
some dance to remember, some dance to forget
So i called up the captain, �please bring me my wine�
(he said) �we haven't had that spirit here since nineteen sixty-nine�
and still those voices are calling from far away
woke you up in the middle of the night, just to hear them say�
Welcome to the hotel california
such a lovely place (such a lovely place), such a lovely face
they livin' it up at the hotel california
what a nice surprise (what a nice surprise), bring your alibis
Mirrors on the ceiling, pink champagne on ice
(and she said) �we are all just prisoners here of our own device�
and in the master's chambers, they gathered for the feast
stab it with their steely knives but they just can't kill the beast
Last thing i remember (i was) running for the door
i had to find the passage back to the place i was before
�relax,� said the night man �we are programmed to receive�
you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave